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Doji
Doji was one of the ten Kami, the divine children of the Sun and Moon who fell into the Mortal Realm of Ningen-do and founded the Emerald Empire of Rokugan. Doji was more specifically the founder of the Crane Clan as well as the creator of much of what was considered the bedrock of Rokugani culture and civilization. During the founding of the Empire her wisdom shaped the nature of diplomacy and polite social interaction in Rokugan. In addition to creating the beautiful characters of the written Common and High Rokugani language, she invented some of the techniques taught even now to the extraordinary artisans who attended the Crane Clan's Kakita Academy. Way of the Crane, p. 77 Fall of the Kami Doji was born to the Lady Sun Amaterasu and the Lord Moon Onnotangu in the Celestial Heavens of Tengoku. After her and her nine divine siblings' birth, her father became increasingly jealous of the attention her mother paid to their children and fearful that they would usurp him. The Tenth Kami, Fu Leng, seeking to curry favor with his father, told the Lord Moon that his siblings, the twin Kami Shiba and Bayushi, had approached their brother Hantei seeking to do something about their father's paranoia, and Onnotangu's worst fears seemed to be comfirmed. However, Hantei had forbade the twins to take any action. Despite this, Onnotangu sought out and swallowed each of his children whole. To save her youngest child, Hantei, from his father's monstrous wrath Amaterasu poisoned the Moon god's sake, leaving him sluggish and unfocused so that she could feed him a stone instead of her son. Hantei, hearing the cries of his siblings from within the Lord Moon's stomach, then prepared himself to battle his father and free his brothers and sisters from their fleshy prison. When Hantei next faced his father, there was an epic duel between the two. Hantei cut open the Lord Moon's stomach, and his siblings fell out into a hole Onnotangu had opened in the sky, and fell past Tengoku and to the world of Ningen-do below. Fu Leng was the last to fall, but was grabbed by his father. Hantei slashed his father's arm so that his brother might go free, but in his fear Fu Leng seized Hantei and the two fell from the Heavens together. Eight Kami, including Doji, fell to Ningen-do, the Realm of Mortals. The Kami Ryoshun had been the first swallowed by his father and had died within the Lord Moon's belly and his soul went to Meido, the Realm of Waiting. Fu Leng hurtled through the Mortal Realm into Jigoku, the Realm of Evil, where he was soon corrupted by the demonic whisperings of that foul place. Dawn of the Empire, by Rich Wulf Founding Rokugan Once in the Mortal Realm, the Kami lost their immortality and divinity, but still remained far more powerful beings than the average men and women around them. The Kami proceeded to gather eager followers from the peoples who inhabited the region of the mortal world they had fallen into and they helped them to form a new Empire called Rokugan. Dawn of the Empire, by Rich Wulf They soon set off from Seppun Hill in order to explore and understand this mortal world they had fallen into, to return five years later. Imperial Histories, p. 11 Tournament of the Kami The Kami realized that the mortals of the world to which they fell needed guidance and organization that only they could provide. Hantei looked out and saw the people of Rokugan as children who should be taught the wisdom required to flourish. The Kami realized they were just the ones for the task. The siblings organized a tournament, and the victor would become the ruler of the new-formed Emerald Empire of Rokugan and of his or her other siblings and their mortal followers. To determine who would be the first Emperor of the Kami's newly created Empire, a Tournament was held. Doji fought against Shiba and won, but was in turn beaten by Akodo who had studied her fighting techniques very closely. Marriage to Kakita In the year 23, Imperial Histories, p. 14 shortly after Kakita had won the tournament to become the first Emerald Champion, the first Emperor Hantei presented Kakita to his sister, Doji, and expressed his desire that they wed. Doji agreed, but on the condition that Kakita be able to complete three challenges, so that she would know his worth. Hantei agreed. The first challenge was to bring the dead to life. The second was to measure the width of the world. The third was to show her a vision of absolute beauty. Though crestfallen at being presented with such seemingly impossible tasks, Kakita did not give up. In order to complete these quests, Kakita travelled far to consult with a wise woman, Yasuki, who showed him where to seek the answers to the Lady Doji's challenges. For the first challenge, Kakita crafted a biwa, a stringed musical instrument, from a piece of dead driftwood and gave it to his bride-to-be. For the second challenge, he explained that the world was only as wide, and would take as long to cross, as the company you had while crossing it, and that if Amaterasu were your companion, you could cross it in a single day. Finally, for the third challenge, Kakita took out a mirror, and showed the Lady Doji her own reflection, as a vision of peerless beauty. They were wed immediately after. Way of the Crane, pp. 22-23 In the year 24 Imperial Histories, p. 15 Doji married Kakita and they had five children together. Their daughter Doji Konishiko became the Crane Thunder who helped to bring an end to the War Against Fu Leng during the Day of Thunder after the death of her twin brother Doji Yasurugi. Way of the Crane, p. 25 Doji Hayaku founded the Crane Clan's Daidoji family, Way of the Crane, p. 39 Kakita Shimizu the Kakita family Way of the Crane, p. 27 and Doji Nio the Doji family. Way of the Crane, p. 24 Shaping the civilization Lady Doji created the caste system of samurai and heimin, and the division of the land. She also invented the Imperial Court, commerce and economics. Her sponsorship of the arts was reflected in every aspect of noble life in the Empire. Way of the Crane, p. 10 She was also her brother's advisor. Way of the Crane, p. 24 The Snowflake After the Imperial capital city of Otosan Uchi had been built upon Seppun Hill, Doji stayed there to live with her brother Hantei for a while. One day while she was there, when looking out her window, see saw a beggar sitting outside in the cold. When she told her guards to ask him to come inside, the beggar refused. She went to see him to ask why he would not come in from the cold. The beggar asked her if she had taken the time to look at the snow and appreciate that every snow-flake was different. The beggar's understanding that all things will eventually be forgotten, even the Kami, caused Doji to sit with the beggar in the cold and enjoy the falling snow around them. Way of the Crane, pp. 5-6 War Against Fu Leng When the army of Fu Leng rose to challenge Hantei Doji formed the Emperor's personal guard. Way of the Crab, p. 18 Gathering Thunder At the height of the war, the dark armies of Fu Leng were pushing the defending forces of the Crab Clan back slowly. None of the Kami were willing to confront their mad brother, and defeat seemed inevitable when a wise man named Shinsei appeared. He revealed that a small group of individuals could infiltrate the Shadowlands and defeat Fu Leng, but they would have to be mortals. Hantei, grievously wounded from a recent battle against the forces of the Ninth Kami, declared that one individual from each of the Great Clans would be sent to join in this endeavour. Doji suggested a search be held for the member of the Crane Clan to be chosen, which in the end proved to be her own son Doji Yasurugi. Yasurugi was killed very shortly thereafter by an Oni, but when all hope seemed lost his twin sister Doji Konishiko stepped forward to become the Crane Clan's champion. Shinsei assembled the remaining clan champions, who became known as the Seven Thunders, personally, and joined them on the quest to defeat the Ninth Kami. Day of Thunder The Seven Thunders and Shinsei made their way deep into the Shadowlands, where they found Fu Leng and defeated him on what became known as the Day of Thunder. Day of Thunder, by Rich Wulf Fate of the Thunders Months later they had not seen since their departure and Doji was worried about the group's fate. She came to the Isawa requesting to divine their location in the Shadowlands. They discovered two were alive and Shiba volunteered to find the surviving Thunder. Way of the Phoenix, p. 44 The toll had been terrible, as only Shinsei and the Scorpion Thunder Shosuro survived the fight. They fled north, with the First Oni and many other creatures pursuing. The timely intervention of the Kami Shiba allowed Shinsei and Shosuro to safely reach the borders of the Empire, but at the expense of Shiba's life. Fu Leng had been defeated, but at a very high cost. Kakita Withdraws Filled with grief, Kakita withdrew from Doji and his friends and became ever more obsessed with his art of iaijutsu. Few years when her youngest son Doji Hayaku ventured into Shadowlands and returned bearing his sister's sword. Imperial Archives, p. 84 Peaceful Years Ki-Rin's Exodus Doji was opposed to her sister Shinjo leaving Rokugan, for the two were very close. But she knew the Ki-Rin's Exodus had to happen, so she went to Shinjo and gifted her a small sandalwood fan. The item would remind that Rokugan was also with them during her journey. Way of the Unicorn, p. 38 Sidebar Genji's Marriage In the year 49 Doji found a young woman named Oborozukiyo, who she considered a suitable wife for her nephew the Emperor Hantei Genji. She arranged a “chance” meeting between the two, and they eventually married the same year. Imperial Histories 2, p. 33 Loneliness As a Kami gifted with a lengthy lifespan despite her loss of immortality, Lady Doji lived for many years after the death of her husband, Kakita. She became lonely as the years went by, with Kakita and Hantei dead and Shinjo gone into the lands beyond the mountains. She regularly journeyed to the homes of her brothers, but her trips became shorter and shorter as they each either died or disappeared. Great Clans, p. 47 The Phoenix Clan had been the first clan she attended, in the year 50. During her journey she experienced war between the Crane and the Lion, which threatened to undo all the peace and artistic development the Crane Kami had worked for. Imperial Histories 2, p. 40 Her last living sibling was Togashi, and when she was turned back at the gates of Kyuden Togashi with the news of his death in the year 101, she ended her wanderings. Of the eight Kami who had fallen to Ningen-do, Doji and Hida were the only ones remaining. Having never been too close to Hida, Doji felt very alone. Imperial Histories, p. 19 Disappearance of Doji Some time later, Doji was walking along the beach at Kyuden Doji, the palace of the Doji family. As the sun set, she stood on a high rock and watched the ocean. The tide rose at her feet, and the waves crashed against the surrounding rocks. Doji watched the setting sun as it fell behind the land she had made her home. The waves towered over her and crashed on the rocks on which she was standing. When the water receeded, the Lady Doji was nowhere to be found. Her body has never been recovered, and there are those that say that she did not die. Legends say that she became a part of the ocean itself. The rocks on which Doji stood for the last time have become a holy place for the members of the Crane Clan. The night before a new samurai becomes the Crane Clan Champion, he spends the night alone on these rocks searching for the wisdom of Lady Doji and praying for her to guide him on his new path. The largest of the rocks was called the Lady's Rest. It was decorated with flowers each year during the Chrysanthemum Festival by maidens from all of the Rokugani clans. An old superstition held that unmarried maidens who made such remembrances would find good fortune in love. Way of the Crane, pp. 30-31 Prior to the duel between Onnotangu and Hitomi of the Dragon Clan in 1132 that decided the War in the Heavens, the Kami Togashi incarnated in Hitomi and accused the Lord Moon to have used lies and treachery to drown Doji in the sea. The truth of the matter remains unknown. War in the Heavens, by Ree Soesbee Legacy Just the same day she walked into the sea, Doji parted with her great-grandson Doji Sasageru and donned him the Ancestral Armor of the Crane Clan, a physical manifestation of the Crane Clan's honor and nobility. Book of Earth, p. 148 See also * Doji/Meta External Links * Doji (Dawn of the Empire) Category:Crane Clan Leaders Category:Kami Category:Tengoku